Crytek UK, formally known as developer Free Radical, has said that the firm would be prepared to tackle a fourth instalment in the popular TimeSplitters franchise, though noted there are no such plans to do so.
Speaking to Develop – which pointed out that the developer would find it tough dispel speculation that the company might be working on a new TimeSplitters game, Crytek UK managing director Karl Hilton said:
“Going forward, we’ve always made it very clear that we want to build original games and we’re going to do that, and we are concepting some of that up at the moment.”
“It’s early days, but there’s some really exciting stuff that we’re concepting. When we’re ready we’ll talk to publishers, and hopefully publishers will like it, and we’ll own and produce those games in our own studio.”
At present, however, the firm is currently focused on developing FPS sequel, Crysis 2, which Hilton described as a “major AAA game that we are delighted to be working on. It is a dream project.”
Quizzed as to whether or not a series such as TimeSplitters would fit in alongside the likes of the ultra realistic Crysis, Hilton replied: “Going forward with future projects, it will be up to us to talk to publishers about what they want, be it the old TimeSplitters or Team Fortress route of slightly stylized or comic characters, or whether they want hyper-realistic games.”
He added that the fate of TimeSplitters would ultimately be decided by whether or not there was still a demand for the comical shooter: “Like with all businesses, content is dictated by the desires of the market,” he said.
“These days the mass-market shooters tend to be aimed at the hyper-realistic stuff. If developers had free reign with the CryEngine, they would easily be able to produce really bizarre, wacky wonderful stuff.”
“We have artists who can make super-realistic games but we also have a team that has experience making completely bizarre stuff too."
“If the time comes, if there is a demand for that type of game, I’m confident we’d be ready for it.”